I hope your holidays have brought you joy and lifted you as we all prepare for 2011. This year we will be seeing in the new year with Biddy which should make for a lively evening. We will all don our best and each of us will recite a favourite poem. I haven't chosen mine yet nor have the rest of the family...must set them working on it today. Life passes so quickly and I think poetry stops us in our tracks and makes us think differently even if just for a moment.
So I think New Year's Eve is a wonderful time to be 'stopped' by poetry - just before we plunge into the new year with energy. 2011 will be a big year in out house. DS1 will sitting his A levels and all being well will set off to university, DS2 will sit his GCSEs and begin to think about what is next...I have more work to do on my writing. This past year I lost my mojo and regained it. I hope that I have dug deep to hit a higher level. No one had ever said that it would be a short process and back in 2004 when I declared that my resolution was to write more I never imagine the road it would take me on...
So I am not publicly declaring my goals but I assure you I have set myself some tough targets. Since I made that declaration back in 2004, I have written six books and have rewritten them countless times now. I have learned so much and hopefully this will be an on going process with each new book and each rewrite...
So on that note, I point you in the direction of a brilliant post by Julie Cohen on rewriting.
Finally many of you know Flowerpot from the Novel Racers and her wonderful blog. On boxing day she lost her beloved husband and somehow she managed to write the most beautiful post here. As writers we write of illness and death frequently and many times struggle to convey the emotion. Her words are so beautiful and simple that they tell of a life, a love and loss that goes straight to the heart.
9 comments:
Wow, when you mentioned the stages the boys are at it made me realize how much time has passed since Greg and I met you both in Jakarta. Thinking it about it now though, the new baby we had with us then is now 10 years old!
I loved your link, not sure if you have heard of an Aussie journo and writer Caroline Overington but she wrote a great piece the other day
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/ripping-yarns-can-take-their-toil/story-e6frg6z6-1225976413146
You've written 6 books? Good lord! Hopefully by the end of 2011 I'll be able to tell you I've written 1. Check out the blog if you have a minute.
Kirsty
I'm so pleased your DH managed to get home for Christmas. I was relieved when James got back on 23rd from uni as I would have hated for him to be away and by himself.
I was very touched by Sue's post about her husband and so sorry to hear her sad news.
I love the idea of reciting a poem on NYE, I'll be having a quiet evening with Dh and DD, whilst DS goes out with his friends.
We seem to share more than just our birthdays. I'm finishing my sixth book at the moment and have also set myself some tough goals for 2011.
So, here's wishing you health, happiness and much success in 2011.x
Glad to hear you had a lovely Christmas and hope you have a wonderful new year as well x
Liz,
Happy New Year to you and yours. I'm so glad to hear that your husband made it home. When I think of news like Flowerpot's it makes me realise how very fragile life is. Yes and time flies. I wonder how many more years we can expect our children to spend NY at home with us.
Good luck with your goals in 2011.
Jennyx
Kirsty - how lovely to hear from you! Loved the link and your blog. You have a wonderful voice. Good luck with all you have going on getting a book written! i waited until the youngest was six and in full time school before I began seriously.
Debs, hope it was a good nye. And yes we do have lots in common :-) Good luck with 2011.
Helen - how's the novel going? Goal for 2011 :-) Hope you have a brilliant year.
JJ- i think this was probably our last one unless we opt for an exotci location to tempt them to be with us! Goos luck for 2011
lx
Happy new year, Liz, and thank you so much for the link to Flowerpot's beautiful post. Achingly sad,
Happy new year, jetsetter! So pleased yr DH made it back.
Thank you Liz for that mention. Words are my way of dealing with it.
I'm glad your holidays were special! It's always a highlight to have everyone present and accounted for on those special days. =)
I've set some tough goals for myself this year as well. I hope we both hit our targets and beyond. Nothing's impossible with God, right?
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